Molecular imaging identification of changes in the cellular structures indicative of disease remains a key to the better understanding in medicinal science. Microscopy applications are applicable to microbiology (e.g., gram staining, etc.), plant tissue culture, animal cell culture (e.g. phase contrast microscopy, etc.), molecular biology, immunology (e.g., ELISA, etc.), cell biology (e.g., immunofluorescence, chromosome analysis, etc.), confocal microscopy, time-lapse and live cell imaging, series and three-dimensional imaging.
There have been advances in confocal microscopy that have unraveled many of the secrets occurring within the cell and the transcriptional and translational level changes can be detected using fluorescence markers. The advantage of the confocal approach results from the capability to image individual optical sections at high resolution in sequence through the specimen. However, there remains a need for improved systems and methods for digital processing of images of pathological tissue that provide accurate analysis of pathological tissues with increased efficiency and speed.
It is a desirable goal in digital pathology to obtain high resolution digital images of samples on slides for viewing in a short period of time. Manual methods whereby the pathologist views a slide through the ocular lens of a microscope allows a diagnosis upon inspection of cell characteristics or count of stained cells vs. unstained cells. Automated methods are desirable whereby digital images are collected, viewed on high resolution monitors and may be shared and archived for later use. It is advantageous that the imaging process be accomplished efficiently at a high throughput and minimal damage to the handling system and slides during slide handling within the imaging system.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a system that efficiently provides focused, high quality images at a high throughput while minimizing the potential for delays and damage during slide handling within the imaging system.